The Gold Sutra

In this very brief sūtra, Venerable Ānanda asks the Buddha about the nature of the mind of awakening, the aspiration to attain the awakening of a buddha for the benefit of all beings. The Buddha explains that the mind of awakening is like gold because it is pure. He also teaches the analogy that just as a smith shapes gold into various forms, yet the nature of the gold itself does not change, so too the mind of awakening manifests in various unique ways, yet the nature of the mind of awakening itself does not change.

Acharya Sam Bercholz Sam Bercholz, the founder of Shambhala Publications, is a lifelong Buddhist educator. He holds the lineages of Karma Kagyu and Dudjom Tersar Nyingma. He has been a close disciple of Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and was empowered by both of them to teach buddhadharma.